State Awards $2 Million in Transportation, Pedestrian Improvements to Senator Tartaglione’s 2nd District

OnMay 8, 2018

New projects include sidewalks and bus stops along Roosevelt Boulevard, along with a traffic safety zone around Cramp Elementary School

PHILADELPHIA, PA, May 8, 2018 – Residents of state Sen. Christine Tartaglione’s 2nd District will benefit from two new major transportation and pedestrian safety projects announced by Gov. Tom Wolf and PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards today in Harrisburg.

The projects are among 82 approved by the administration statewide through the Surface Transportation Block Grant program Set-Aside and Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside, representing a combined investment of $66.8 million.

“These initiatives will improve the lives of people throughout Pennsylvania and in the 2nd district,” Sen. Tartaglione said. “One project will support public transportation and pedestrian safety along one of Philadelphia’s busiest traffic corridors, Roosevelt Boulevard, while the other will protect children and their families as they travel to and from Cramp Elementary School in my district.”

The administration awarded $1 million to the City of Philadelphia to construct six sidewalk segments for pedestrian improvements along SEPTA’s Direct Bus route, and to prepare sites for Direct Bus stations. The Direct Bus route serves Roosevelt Boulevard between Frankford Transportation Center in the 2nd district and the Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem Township, offering an efficient and reliable travel option with frequent service and fewer stops.

The Direct Bus route took effect on February 25, 2018, and includes a fleet of 60 buses easily recognizable by their distinct branding, including a bright green color scheme and large “D” logo.

Meanwhile, the City was also awarded $995,000 to establish a school slow zone at William Cramp Elementary School in the Fairhill neighborhood. The zone will consist of traffic calming interventions to reduce vehicle speeds, promote safety and advance the city’s commitment to eliminating all traffic deaths, an initiative known as Vision Zero.

Cramp serves children in kindergarten through fifth grade. Students there are taught in a supportive educational environment that meets their individual needs and desires, with special emphasis on reading, math, science and technology in all content areas. The school strives to teach character development skills that enable children to assume their roles as productive citizens in a technological and global society.

“Building for the future includes improving access to a variety of transportation options and these investments will promote safety and mobility for communities across Pennsylvania,” Gov. Wolf said.

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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at William.Kenny@pasenate.com.